Unilingualism in Montreal

[Urban Peasant]

There was an article I read last year stating that English speakers in Quebec, especially away from Greater Montreal, tend to have less income, lower paying jobs, poorer health, and general poorer living qualities than native French speakers. The English speaking population in rural areas formerly dominated by English speakers like the Eastern Townships is aging and dwindling; I don't think there will be a replenishment of new English speakers there anytime in the future. Greater Montreal may still attract Anglophones from elsewhere and English will still be an important language there but every once in a while one can still encounter someone who cannot speak English. I for one cannot understand why anyone anyone want to live in Quebec nowadays and not know French, even in Greater Montreal.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by drro

I wonder what life is like being a monolingual English speaking Canadian in Quebec. Can you make yourself understandable in stores?

You'll almost always be able to find someone who can speak to you in English, even if it's not the first person you deal with. Also, information is not always pro-actively provided in English, either written or spoken. If a bus driver is making an announcement to everyone like that he won't be stopping at the next station, and if you need to go there you need to get off at Place de la Cité and then take the 67 across the street, then this will most certainly be said in French only. Just like a supermarket employee who announces to everyone that their e-system is down and they're only taking cash only. None of this is a big deal and of course you can work around it, but it is a bit of a hassle if you live hear and have to deal with this daily.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Urban Peasant

I for one cannot understand why anyone anyone want to live in Quebec nowadays and not know French, even in Greater Montreal.

Because for many French is irrelavant in their lives as they live and work in an English milieu,their forms of entertainment are English,all their social connections are English they vacation outside Quebec,so what need do they have for French?

[Urban Peasant]

Originally Posted by jambo101

Because for many French is irrelavant in their lives as they live and work in an English milieu,their forms of entertainment are English,all their social connections are English they vacation outside Quebec,so what need do they have for French?

Here's an article in the Montreal Gazette from just a few days ago providing reasons why:

https://montrealgazette.com/news/loc...ish-and-french

Here's one from MTL Blog just today reiterating what the above article said but in fewer words:

https://www.mtlblog.com/news/montrea...-everyone-else

I get that retirees from the older generation of English speakers feel most comfortable conversing only in English and probably do not feel ashamed of speaking on English. Somewhere else on this forum I recall someone saying that for the most part, it is the Anglophone Quebecers over the age of 55 that still demand to be serviced in English. The younger generation is not likely to feel the same way about speaking French. For them, making money and integrating with the mainstream Quebecois culture is more important. Read the article and you'll find that the vast majority of Quebec workers can speak at least some French. I bet you a lot of people will not feel comfortable being greeted by "bonjour" day after day and not know how to respond. I certainly would.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Urban Peasant

I get that retirees from the older generation of English speakers feel most comfortable conversing only in English and probably do not feel ashamed of speaking on English. Somewhere else on this forum I recall someone saying that for the most part, it is the Anglophone Quebecers over the age of 55 that still demand to be serviced in English. The younger generation is not likely to feel the same way about speaking French. For them, making money and integrating with the mainstream Quebecois culture is more important. Read the article and you'll find that the vast majority of Quebec workers can speak at least some French. I bet you a lot of people will not feel comfortable being greeted by "bonjour" day after day and not know how to respond. I certainly would.

I worked in an entirely French environment for 35 years,needless to say i spoke French now 10 years into retirement i find i have very little need for the French language and have forgotten much ,however im not the type to demand to be spoken to in English,if some one initiates a converseation in French i will do my best to repond in that language, that said im not about to throw away my English culture just so i can talk French to myself.

[Acajack]

Ahhh... Anglo-Montreal.


Trying its darndest to prove that knowing French is useless - since 1763.

[jambo101]

Originally Posted by Acajack

Ahhh... Anglo-Montreal.


Trying its darndest to prove that knowing French is useless - since 1763.

its useless to me.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by jambo101

its useless to me.

Quod erat demonstrandum.